As an affiliate of Mountain Rose Herbs, I’m excited to highlight this wonderful collection of products! Many of these are brand new additions that you’ll want to know about, and I’ve also included some of our must-have staff favorites.

Certified Organic & Kosher Certified

Lycii (Goji) Berries

Lycium chinense

Common Name

Standardized: lycium
Other: Barbary wolfberry, goji, matrimony vine

Botanical Name

Lycium barbarum L.
Plant Family: Solanaceae

Overview

PLEASE NOTE! “Goji berry” and Lycii berry are virtually the same, with the only discernable difference is that Goji is usually a high altitude strain of Lycium and is commonly found in the Himalayas, Nepal, Tibet, etc., whereas Lycii berry is the more common variety found in lowland areas. For trade purposes they are usually considered the same.

Introduction

Lycii berry, otherwise known to Chinese herbalists as Goji or Chinese Wolfberry is a bright red, almost chewy berry with a taste very similar to Raisins. It has been used as a general nutrient tonic (Yin tonic) for many years and Chinese medicine refers to it as a “cooling tonic”.

Constituents

Parts Used

Whole berries.

Typical Preparations

Whole berries can be eaten raw, as they have a pleasant taste. Or they can be included in food or prepared as a tea.

Summary

Not much research has been carried out for this particular botanical and to date there have not been any released notes on possible medicinal contraindications, side effects or potential health hazards (except for those pregnant or nursing). One particular warning that has been issued comes from many traditional Chinese herbalists who suggest that Lycii should never be taken for acute colds or flu, because it will have the tendency to bring a sickness deeper.

Precautions

Certified Organic & Kosher Certified

Ginseng Leaf Whole, Forest Grown

Panax quinquefolius

Common Name

Standardized: American Ginseng
Other: xi yang shen

Botanical Name

Panax quinquefolius L.
Plant Family: Araliaceae

Parts Used

Leaf

Overview

We are grateful for your interest in our new Forest Grown Ginseng Leaf. We are proud to offer the first Certified Forest Grown American Ginseng Leaf in partnership with the United Plant Savers. This new project brings us organically grown ginseng leaves that are cultivated in their native ecosystem. The leaves are sustainably harvested from private forests under stewardship from farmers dedicated to preserving this important medicinal plant for the future.

Each tin is filled with 4 grams of whole leaf that has been collected from 25-30 year old plants that are maintained for seed stock.

Ginseng leaves are currently not well known in the global herb trade. To gain some insight into why this is, we need look to the history of trading herbs overseas. The tradition of using only the ginseng root evolved at a time when crude herb was kept in burlap sacks and shipped to the Far East. The leaves cannot take that kind of treatment, but the root can, and this is the reason that usage of the root achieved widespread popularity while usage of the leaves was confined to the fringes. American ginseng leaves were, in fact, widely used by the indigenous cultures of eastern North America. These cultures have a traditional philosophy of using the whole plant for medicine, and we are offering the leaves so that our customers can achieve this as well. Modern scientific studies have indicated that the leaves actually contain greater concentrations of the same active constituents as compared to the root. And since there is not a great demand for the leaves worldwide, this enables people to enjoy the many health benefits of American ginseng at a fraction of the cost of the root.

Mountain Rose Herbs will donate 5% from every sale of this ginseng leaf to the United Plant Savers. We believe that supporting this effort can change the culture of ginseng throughout Appalachia, transforming the epidemic of black market poaching into a stewarded forest crop with sustainability as the guiding force.

We thank you for supporting conservation through cultivation!

History And Folklore

There are few plants in the world that possess the rich history and lore of the ginsengs. Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) has likely been used as medicine since the dawn of civilization in Asia; its first written mention came in the first century B.C. and the earliest mention of ginseng in formal Chinese medical literature was in The Divine Husbandman’s Classic of the Materia Medica, written in the first century A.D. American ginseng first became known in 1711 through the writings of a Jesuit missionary to Beijing named Pere Jartoux. Interstingly, Jartoux had also spent some time in eastern Canada, and had observed the botanical similarities between the forests and mountains of eastern Canada and the forests and mountains of Jilin province in eastern China where Asian ginseng grows prolifically. He speculated that if ginseng were to be found anywhere else, it would be in eastern Canada. Joseph Francois Lafitau, a Jesuit missionary based in eastern Canada, was influenced by Jartoux’s writings and set out to find ginseng in the West. Lafitau was unsuccessful in his attempts to locate ginseng in the woods, and sought counsel with the local indigenous population. Legend has it that one of these people walked a few feet away and brought him one of the roots. At the time of this discovery, the Chinese stock of wild ginseng was becoming rare due to overharvesting, and there was an eager market that was willing to import American ginseng by the ton. And thus the American ginseng trade was born in earnest. Unfortunately, history has a way of repeating itself, and American ginseng soon became rare in eastern Canada and the United States due to overharvesting.

Herbal Miscellany

The vast majority of research regarding ginseng has been conducted on the Asian variety, rather than the American. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, American ginseng is considered to be a mild chi tonic which moisturizes the system and reduces heat while building strength.

The German Commission E has approved ginseng for invigoration and fortification during times of need. It has been shown to improve reaction time and attention in healthy adult subjects. In older adults, ginseng has been shown to support healthy aging and memory.

Precautions

Specific: The use of warfarin and American ginseng may reduce the efficacy of warfarin and should be used under the supervision of a qualified healthcare practitioner.General: We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.

Certified Organic & Fair Trade Certified & Kosher Certified

Arjuna Bark Powder

Common Name

Botanical Name

Overview

Introduction

The arjuna is usually found growing on river banks or near dry river beds in West Bengal and south and central India. The tree is about 20-25 meters tall, and usually has a buttressed trunk that forms a wide canopy at the crown, from which branches drop downward. It has oblong, conical leaves which are green on top and brown below, smooth grey bark, and pale yellow flowers which appear between March and June.

Parts Used

Bark

Typical Preparations

Traditionally prepared as a milk decoction, though a water decoction would also work.

Summary

This herb has a long history of use in the Ayurvedic tradition; it is said to be excellent medicine for the heart chakra. In Theravada Buddhism, arjuna is said to have been used as the tree for achieved enlightenment, or Bodhi, by the tenth Lord Buddha called Anomadassi.

Precautions

Specific: Not for use in pregnancy except under the supervision of a qualified healthcare practitioner.

Certified Organic & Kosher Certified

Lecithin Powder, Soy

Overview

Our certified organic lecithin powder is a wax-like ingredient derived from organic soybeans. It acts as an emulsifier and thickening agent for both food and cosmetic products and improves a products’ shelf life by acting as a mild preservative. A valuable ingredient for cosmetic creams, lotions, and other body care recipes. Powdered lecithin blends easily and disperses evenly into most products and recipes. Organic lecithin powder is a wonderful ingredient to add to your culinary and body care recipes. It contains many beneficial properties, and is used as an emulsifier, thickener, stabilizer, mild preservative, moisturizer, and emollient. Cosmetically, it may be added to moisturizers, makeup, shampoos, conditioners, body washes, lip balms, and many other products. It is a great alternative to other emulsifying and stabilizing agents, some of which are derived from petrochemical sources. For food use, lecithin is often found in chocolate, baked goods, salad dressing, and many other prepared foods.

Certified Organic & Kosher Certified

Guayusa Tea

Ilex Guayusa

Overview

Guayusa is the dried leaves and stems of a South American rainforest holly which is a close botanical relative to Yerba Mate. A tall tree native to the upper Amazonian regions of Ecuador, northeastern Peru, and southwestern Columbia, guayusa has been collected only rarely by botanists and is known almost exclusively as a cultivated plant. Traditionally, the indigenous cultures of Ecuador boiled guayusa leaves in water and drank the tea for its stimulating effects. Indigenous hunters often drink guayusa to sharpen their instincts and refer to it as the “Night Watchman” since it helps them stay awake and alert all night. There is also anthropological evidence that this herb may have been traded, as famous Harvard ethnobotanist Richard Evans Schultes found a 1500-year-old bundle of guayusa leaves in a shaman’s tomb high in the Bolivian Andes, far beyond the natural range of the plant.

Shade grown guayusa leaves are far more nutritious and tasty compared to sun grown guayusa. This difference is obvious just by glancing at the color of the dried material. Shade grown guayusa is a bold dark green, while the sun grown leaves are much more pale and are lacking in flavor.

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Published by dmauldin53

Published author. Wife; Mother to 3 beautiful daughters; Grandmother to 8. My grandchildren are my world! I'm a Certified Aromatherapist with an Associate's Degree in Human Services. Writing has always been a part of my life. My passions are aromatherapy, astrology, alternative medicine, writing, reading, helping others, gardening, nature, and spending time with my grandchildren.
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